What do you think of HID or LED headlamps?

[johnboneske]

I am thinking about replacing my headlamps with either HID or LED headlights. I am gonna get new housings, as mine arent as good as they were when new. I already cleaned them and look alot better than they did, but arent perfect. I have a set of 4500k bulbs in it, with 5000k driving lights and the headlamps look ok, but not as bright nor as "white" as I want.

I know majority of people get HID, and I'd be interested except most things I read say you cant just ad a set of HID's to stock housings, I'd like a set of LED's, but are there any good ones out there? I have been looking at https://www.xenonhids.com/ and they have both HID and LED. Just want peoples feedback on what you have used...

 

[deweysmith]

I don't think I would use LEDs without good projector headlights. LEDs are very directional and so they tend to not work so well with the stock reflectors but with good projectors it doesn't matter because the projector lens manages where the light is thrown, so you can use a cheap LED with high output and not really worry about how the bulb itself throws.

There's a reason no reputable light company (Sylvania, Philips, etc) make a drop-in LED bulb replacement for headlights, and it's not because they last forever so they'd stop making money. Making a drop-in replacement that throws properly and can be aimed well in EVERY VEHICLE is damn near impossible. Turn signals, brake lights, and fog lamps are easy because they don't require perfect aiming, and you'll find the good brands make plenty of those.

EDIT: It looks like Philips is working on one. The have a few models for a few vehicles that are drop-in replacement. Their FAQ page lists out basically what I was saying, though. That coupled with DOT and NHTSA approvals will keep this from being universal for a while too.

I would definitely recommend waiting for something like that if you went the LED route.

 

[Gary Waugh]

i have a 2008, I fitted HID bulbs, the first lot died after 3 months, the second set lasted a year then failed, so I recently fitted LED bulbs to my stock reflectors and find they are much better than halogen bulbs. I don't know why, but I have always found the headlights on my expy to be very poor, dont seem to throw much light, but the LED light is much whiter, so its easier to see things and it seems to produce more light. I had to re-adjust the headlights as the light was not in the correct place compared to the halogen bulbs, but I am very happy with the results and no-one has flashed me in 6 months (since fitting the LEDS) so I assume they are not dazzling oncoming traffic. I got my LED bulbs of WOOT for $60 and it has been the best upgrade to my headlights so far.

Gary

 

[04EddyExpy]

I just pulled out the LED headlights I had switched to. They were even 6000 or 6500K and they still weren't brighter than Sylvania SuperBrights. Whiter, oh yes. But the light dispersed BIG time in the stock housings. They would be perfect if I had some projector-style housings, but that's not in the near future for me.

 

[Adieu]

LEDs in bulbs & without projectors suck for throw (range)...they LOOK effective at first glance cuz we subconsciously associate HID white color temps with power. But they aint got reach.


specialized housings not bulbs can be a wholly different story though. Some sealed units are pretty dang impressive. My backup lights (LED pods) and fogs (sealed projector units) are pretty dang impressive, and for the fogs I know they aint even anywhere close to the best --- since I toyed with mounting a repurposed 4.5" motorcycle unit that had far better output, but gave up and returned them in favor of an F150 set that was just a couple quick cuts with a box cutter away from being a direct retrofit....


Backup pods:


Fogs w/o headlights (mounted later, not the LED bulbs in OEM-style reflectors from the pic above):